The Dublin Region Homeless Executive is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead local authority in the response to homelessness in Dublinand adopts a shared service approach across South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

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Lewisham Borough Council, London share their success of Rapid Build Family Housing Scheme

Jul 25, 2016

Dublin City Council are hosting a presentation on Thursday 21st by Lewisham Borough Council for councillors from the four Dublin Local Authorities to demonstrate how the rapid build programme has been successful in addressing family homelessness in London. Watch recorded footage here

Lewisham Borough Council in partnership with international renowned architects Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, AECOM Engineering and SIG Construction have delivered a rapid-build family housing scheme that brings innovative and cutting edge architectural design and construction methods to the delivery of modern, spacious and adaptable apartments.

The PLACE/Ladywell Rapid-Build Family Housing Scheme is off-site manufactured, well designed and sustainable accommodation using a quick and cost-effective technology. The homes were built in 12 weeks for 24 families in need of accommodation.

Dick Brady, Assistant City Manager, Dublin City Council, as part of his involvement in the delivery of the rapid build programme in Dublin said:

“We are delighted to welcome Lewisham Borough Council here to Dublin along with Roger Stirk Harbour and Partners, AECOM Engineering and SIG Construction, so that all parties here can come together and work collectively to address the pressing issue of family homelessness in Dublin. Lewisham Borough Council have created an instant innovative approach to housing, specifically for homeless families. This type of housing will transform the lives of our citizens and we must work hard to make this happen for them.”

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham said about PLACE/Ladywell:

“This is a great example of how we can use innovation to respond to this very real and growing challenge. I’m absolutely thrilled with the final result and know I speak for many when I give profoundthanks to all the committed partners and council staff who have worked tirelessly to make this a reality.”

John Green, SIG Building Systems said the following:

“The collaborative approach between client architect and contractor has allowed the Lewisham scheme to be delivered on time and on budget. We are delighted to confirm that delivery of this project has exceeded expectations of all partners. SIG are further investing in new manufacturing techniques and will continue to invest in this growing market. We believe this is the first of many schemes to come”.

Also presenting at the seminar today, Andrew Partridge, Associate Partner, Roger Stirk Harbours and Partners said of the PLACE/Ladywell Housing, the following:

“Communities are instantly created with this type of architecture. The scheme is generating huge interest internationally due to its use of renewable building materials and, somewhat uniquely, because this housing scheme is deployable across a variety of sites and is designed to be demountable and moved. This type of housing minimises the time on site. A normal programme of social housing cannot compete with this “.

The key learning for the group that worked on the PLACE/Ladywell Housing Lewisham was the following:

“We should not have public owned land lying vacant, when we have so many families in need of accommodation. The time is now”, concluded Mr Patridge.

Rollout of Rapid Build Housing Programme in Dublin

The core objective of the Rapid Build Housing Programme is to respond urgently and efficiently to the need for suitable accommodation for families who are currently living in commercial hotels across the Dublin region. The use of commercial hotels as emergency accommodation is not sustainable. This intervention offers a viable alternative to the unsustainable use of commercial hotels as an emergency response to homelessness.

The number of households with dependent children accommodated in emergency accommodation continues to grow each month. In June 2016 (week of 27th June – 3rd July) there were 939 families in all forms of emergency accommodation (including 1,894 child dependents). Of these 939 families, 682 (1,372 child dependents) were in commercial hotels and 257 families (522 child dependents) in homeless accommodation.

Dublin City Council has successfully completed the first 22 units of Rapid Build Homes in Baile na Laochra, Poppintree, Ballymun 11. The units were delivered within a 16 week timeframe, with families now already in-situ.

The additional four sites selected and located in the Dublin City Council administrative area, include;

Drimnagh – 29 units

Belcamp - 38 units

Ballyfermot – 24 units

Finglas – 40 units.

Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are collectively working towards the delivery of a further 350 units approximately across the Dublin region to address the immediacy of providing a more suitable alternative for families currently residing in commercial hotels.

The four Dublin Local authorities are committed to delivering 500 Rapid Build Housing units across the Dublin region in 2016-2017.

The Government’s Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness (www.rebuildingireland.ie) launched Tuesday ( 19th July) has also promised an expanded Rapid Build Housing Programme of a further 1,000 units to directly move families out of hotel accommodation. This type of accommodation will enable families to have a greater level of stability, until move-on options to long-term accommodation is secured.

A total of 1,500 rapid-delivery units will be delivered by 2018: 200 by end 2016, 800 in 2017 and the remainder in 2018.

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